1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to Ethernet systems and methods and, more particularly, to a system and method for achieving higher data rates in physical layer devices.
2. Introduction
Ethernet devices continue to evolve in capability as the incremental increases in the standardized transmission rates have progressed by orders of magnitude. In a relatively short period of time, transmission rates for standardized Ethernet devices have progressed from 10 Mbit/s to 100 Mbit/s, from 100 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s, and more recently, from 1 Gbit/s to 10 Gbit/s. Efforts are ongoing to identify the next transmission rate that is to be adopted as the next standard of Ethernet performance. Whether 40 Gbit/s or 100 Gbit/s, the next transmission rate will be significantly higher than 10 Gbit/s.
The significant advances in the standardized transmission rates has provided substantial benefits in increasing the available bandwidth in an Ethernet network. These large increases in available bandwidth have enabled significant changes in the applications that can be supported across various types of networks. As the cost of bandwidth has decreased, and so also have the performance barriers that have hindered certain types of applications.
Notwithstanding the substantial benefits that have been realized by the large increases in transmission rates, those same large increases in transmission rates can likewise create other cost barriers that can hinder the deployment of some applications. Balancing the benefit of the increased transmission rate are the implementation costs such as system complexity, physical plant improvements (e.g., cabling), increased power consumed, etc. These implementation costs may be justified in those instances where the full benefits of the increased transmission rate are being realized. Where the full benefits of the increased transmission rate are not being realized, however, the implementation costs can dominate and other potential solutions are needed.